1. Field
The following description relates to a security method and apparatus for communication devices that communicate with each other in a near field.
2. Description of Related Art
Schemes for providing security in a general communication system includes a public-key encryption scheme or a private key encryption scheme in layer 2, layer 3, or other higher order layers in a Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. The public-key encryption scheme or the private key encryption scheme may be used to ensure security based on a mathematical logic, regardless of a physical layer, that is, regardless of a communication channel.
However, if a non-authorized communication device acquires information on how to decrypt an encrypted text sent between communication devices, security between the devices may be useless.
One such type of communication system is a near field communication (NFC) system. NFC is a set of short-range wireless technologies, typically requiring a distance of 4 cm or less between communication devices. NFC operates at 13.56 MHz on ISO/IEC 18000-3 air interface and at rates ranging from 106 kbit/s to 424 kbit/s. NFC typically involves an initiator and a target. The initiator may generate a radio frequency (RF) field that can power a passive target. This enables NFC targets to take very simple forms such as tags, stickers, key fobs, or cards that do not require batteries. In this way, NFC peer-to-peer communication is possible, provided both devices are powered.
Although the communication range of NFC is limited to a few centimeters, NFC alone does not ensure secure communications. Accordingly, NFC communication is vulnerable to various attacks such as man-in-the-middle attacks.